(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to process equipment and method of treating contaminated water and wastewater and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to insitu process equipment using an electrochemical treatment of the water for dropping out various types of contaminates such as metals and other compounds held in suspension.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,293,400 and 4,378,276 to Liggett, an apparatus with a positively charged aluminum electrode and a negatively charged tubular steel electrode are disclosed for the electrolytic treatment of water. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,057 to Metzler et al., an electrocoagulation process is described having electrolytic treaters for treating a highly conductive liquid media.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,959 to Herbst et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,043,050 and 5,423,962 to Herbst, the inventor of the subject invention, Robert J. Herbst describes different types of improved electrolytic systems for treating aqueous solutions using conductive conduits and precipitating various organic and inorganic materials suspended in the solution.
None of the above mentioned prior art electrolytic treatment systems of liquids disclose or teach the use of the subject electrochemical process equipment and method of treating contaminated water insitu in a pit or lagoon such as a oil drilling reserve pit.